Mount Mitchell State Park has experienced a particularly severe winter this year. A new low temperature record of -22 degrees Fahrenheit was reached on Christmas Eve. The accompanying wind chill was -58! The extreme cold has damage the park’s water system in ways not seen before resulting in many repairs. Also the heavy rains combined with high winds have brought done many trees on the Blue Ridge Parkway and NC 128, the road to the park. Parkway Maintenance is also doing tree work. For these reasons the park will be closed until at least February 3 to allow cleanup and repair. Keep checking the park’s website to see if the park is open. As a reminder, when the park is closed to vehicles it is also closed to hikers. This is for your safety as rescue and transportation to medical facilities is much more difficult.
